Kiron Atom Tellian

Austrian pianist and composer Kiron Atom Tellian is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree at The Juilliard School in New York, studying with Maestro Sergei Babayan as a recipient of the prestigious Kovner Fellowship. Born in Vienna, he began his piano studies at the University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna (MDW) at age seven and made his orchestral debut at nine.

Tellian has garnered top prizes at international competitions across Europe, the USA, and Japan. In 2024, he won the YCA Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, receiving eight special prizes. Other notable accolades include first prize and the Haydn Prize at the Ettlingen International Piano Competition, the Grand Prize at the Nashville International Chopin Competition, and multiple first prizes at the Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition.

As a composer, Tellian’s works have been widely recognized, earning multiple first prizes in composition competitions. This season, he has been commissioned to write an orchestral work premiering at the Vienna Musikverein.

This season, Tellian has performed at the Vienna Konzerthaus—where he will return for multiple appearances—the Viotti Festival, the Vienna Musikverein, and made his debut with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano, playing Chopin’s First Piano Concerto. He will also make his debut at Cultura Artística in São Paulo, Brazil, and perform with the El Paso Symphony. His previous engagements have included collaborations with esteemed artists such as Emmanuel Tjeknavorian and performances at the Verbier Festival, where he appeared both as a soloist and chamber musician.

Looking ahead, Tellian will make his debut with the San Diego Symphony and has been invited by the Rachmaninov Foundation to perform at the historic Villa Senar. A major milestone will be his solo recital at Carnegie Hall, marking another significant step in his rapidly rising career.